The purpose of a motion control device is to move an object in a desired manner. The basic components of a motion control device are a controller and a mechanical system. The mechanical system translates signals generated by the controller into movement of an object.
While the mechanical system commonly comprises a drive and an electrical motor, a number of other systems, such as hydraulic or vibrational systems, can be used to cause movement of an object based on a control signal. Additionally, it is possible for a motion control device to comprise a plurality of drives and motors to allow multi-axis control of the movement of the object.
The present invention is of particular importance in the context of a mechanical system such as a toy including at least one drive and electrical motor having a rotating shaft that, when rotated, causes movement of the toy, and that application will be described in detail herein. But the principles of the present invention are generally applicable to any mechanical system that generates movement based on a control signal. The scope of the present invention should thus be determined based on the claims appended hereto and not the following detailed description.
In a mechanical system comprising a controller, a drive, and an electrical motor, the motor is physically connected to the object to be moved such that rotation of the motor shaft is translated into movement of the object. The drive is an electronic power amplifier adapted to provide power to a motor to rotate the motor shaft in a controlled manner. Based on control commands, the controller controls the drive in a predictable manner such that the object is moved in the desired manner.
These basic components are normally placed into a larger system to accomplish a specific task. For example, one controller may operate in conjunction with several drives and motors in a multi-axis system for moving a tool along a predetermined path relative to a workpiece. In industry, the basic components described above are often used in conjunction with a host computer or programmable logic controller (PLC). The host computer or PLC allows the use of a high-level programming language to generate control commands that are passed to the controller. Software tools running on the host computer are designed to simplify the task of programming the controller, but the use of such software tools is beyond the ability of average consumers without a background in computer programming.
Another example of a larger system incorporating motion components is a doll having sensors and motors configured to cause the doll to mimic human behaviors such as dancing, blinking, clapping, and the like. Such dolls are pre-programmed at the factory to move in response to stimulus such as sound, internal timers, heat, light, and touch. Programming such dolls requires knowledge of hardware dependent low-level programming languages and is also beyond the abilities of an average consumer.